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My Thoughts re: Dealers Posting on Audiogon

I originally posted this in a thread in the Speakers forum.  It's more appropriate here:

As a former audio dealer and long time Audiogon member who has walked the tightrope I will say that, while I do not have a problem with dealers posting on Audiogon, I do feel that there are some basic rules that should be observed, both by the dealer and by everyone else:

For dealers:
1- Clearly announce that you are a dealer
2- Try to be helpful, objective and educational
3- Understand that an Audiogon forum IS NOT a sales venue
4- If you mention or recommend on of your products, mention again that you are a dealer for this product so that it's clearly understood that you have a finalcial interest in your recommendation
5- Don't trash the competition or other brands

For Audiogon members:
6- Don't complain about dealers posting in Audiogon forums. They are A'gon members like anyone else. If you don't want to read dealer posts them just don't read them
7- Just because a dealer makes a recommendation in which he/she has a financial interest does not automatically make it a bad recommendation. If the dealer comment is in the spirit of the discussion and or answers a question then it's probably appropriate, IMO
8- Dealers, well *many* dealers, have a lot of experience that most just audiophiles do not have. If a dealer is posting to be helpful to the group and not just trying to sell stuff then take advantage of that experience. Their answers to your questions will guide you as to whether they are interested in being helpful members of the Audiogon community or just pushing gear.

I hope that this is helpful guidance. Just my opinions...
br3098
br3098 OP
997 posts
 
@oregonpapa,
I don’t recall anyone asking you for your opinion, Elizabeth.
Isn't this exactly the forum attitude Elizabeth was commenting on?

I'm not a moderator but as far as I'm concerned anyone should be able to comment on any audio topic at any time.  The day I'm told I need to wait to be asked for my opinion is the day I'm Audiogon gone
.

tom8999
157 posts
 
br3098, nonoise and Elizabeth -

i have been using Agon - it’s forums and marketplace to improve my sound systems at home for over 15 years. I have educated myself on improving my audio listening enjoyment beyond my wildest dreams. I am happy that both audiophiles and dealers and manufacturers participate in the forums and marketplace. I am just a middle aged white guy enjoying his hobby! I need the advice and can decide myself which ‘advice’ is worth taking with or without the ‘scarlet letter’ for the dealers. 

I am am grateful for the education I get here. I got an old pair of Maggie’s updated by Peter Gunn based on a comment from Elizebeth. They sound amazing by the way! I found my Krell dealer because of an ad in the marketplace. He sold me my second Krell and then on getting my LUMIN D1 four years ago! I just upgraded my amplification on one system - again finding the dealer here on Agon. Nonoise is helping me address an intermittent ‘glare issue’ in my system - reference the MC 0.5 Power conditioner.

Go with the ‘Scarlett Letter’ for dealers or not - but keep all the voices on the forums.

Happy Listening!
Tom899
roxy1927
135 posts
 
The dealers who post here for the most part have an educated appreciative light touch which they use conservatively.

The elephant in the room is the one who always puts the heavy heavy hand on the wrong note. A number of times I've turned to a thread on a subject I was interested in and found this dealer made nearly half the posts unrelentingly defending what he had to say to every other poster. I also had dealings with the seller before I knew his sobriquet and when he realized I did not have the money he thought I had soon coldly lost interest in me. Others who knew they weren't getting even a Hershey bar from me have been generous with their knowledge because they loved what they were doing and realized I was very serious about how I enjoyed my music.

I have found dealers respect these threads except for the one we have been discussing. Could you imagine if we had more like him? The PR bloat would sink every conversation.
Post removed 
ahofer
225 posts
 
As long as they are transparent about being dealers, as well as which lines they sell and don’t sell, I think dealers can be additive to the discussion.  I’m sure it is hard to be objective, though, talking about equipment you can’t sell vs what you can sell. 

What bugs me more is *any* contributor who thinks that because they heard one model of one brand, perhaps not even recently, that they have the “expertise and experience” to tell you how all the models sound and will interact with other equipment. I don’t buy it. Several dealers’ characterizations of my equipment have been wildly off the mark to me. Subjectively, of course, but that’s exactly they reason they are unlikely to get that kind of speculation right.  I even saw two dealers get the specs wildly wrong on equipment they supposedly knew well. 

But I wouldn’t ban anyone for it. Everyone talks book.  Everyone. So their book should be visible.
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